there's a fork in the road (open)

[reluctants]

⭐ Who: Illya and you!
⭐ When: July 1st, before the thunderstorm kicks in!
⭐ Where: Out around Yumemigaoka
⭐ What: Illya's waffling about being an active Dreamer. Maybe help give her advice?


(1. tanabata - in the store)

[ Though the stores may only have started stocking the supplies for Tanabata today, apparently someone already noticed them being there pretty early on. Illya is pretty into the idea of Tanabata, after all, and she does want to make a wish..

.. which is why you may find the girl in the store, staring at the coloured paper and the bamboo. Something seems a little off about her though, like Illya is deep in thought, despite.. just staring at what are basically just crafting supplies.

Whatever she's thinking about, she doesn't seem to be paying too much attention to her surroundings. She turns without looking, bumping right into you when you're either standing next to her or trying to pass her - though she does have the decency to immediately look embarrassed after briefly startling. ]

Oh, sorry..! Um, you-- did you also want to get some stuff for Tanabata..?

[ Is she trying to make some awkward small talk to make up for the bumping-into-you thing? Absolutely. Or maybe she's trying to distract from how out of it she seemed a moment ago. ]

(2. hesitation - near the dreamer union headquarters)

[ Later that day Illya can be seen somewhere else entirely. In fact, maybe you have actually seen her there before, if you go near or into the Dreamer Union headquarters often enough. It hasn't been for too long yet, but for the past few days this girl definitely has been hanging out near the building - seeming to walk closer to it, only to shake her head and walk back.. after which the pattern repeats all over again.

The same thing is happening today. Seems a little weird, huh? Maybe you'd like to go ask her what's up, regardless of whether you know or don't know the girl acting so oddly. ]

Comments

2

[liedol]

[ Hmm. . .

Ai's been in and out of the DU building more often these past few days, what with the Dreamer Crimson business causing such a stir, so she's had plenty of time to spot Illya and her dithering. Just once and maybe it wouldn't have stuck in her mind but this many days in a row... something's definitely up.

She times her approach just as Illya's in the midst of backing up and speaks up from behind her, voice cheery and bright. ]

Getting cold feet? [ She pauses to casually (but, you know, still with Dramatic Timing) take off her sunglasses and give Illya a grin. ] I promise we don't bite. Well, most of us, anyway!

[reluctants]

Aah!

[ That's a sound that's definitely the midway point between a yelp and an actual shriek. It's not even that Ai is sounding particularly sinister or saying anything bad, but Illya definitely was just so caught up in her own thoughts here that she didn't think a single moment of how this might look to other people.

Or that, you know, someone might speak up about it.

She turns to look at the other, the young girl's eyes so wide that it looks like she's seeing a ghost, rather than just another person. Most of what Ai is saying definitely didn't register with Illya's brain, leaving the only thing it could latch on to in time as: ]

S-Some people here bite?!

[ That's clearly the most important part of Ai's entire dramatic act, right? ]

[liedol]

[ Oh no. It's so beyond mean to laugh at a girl this small and this worked up, but when she gets a reply like that, Ai can't help it. Her laughter's all sunshine and no malice, at least, as is the smile she beams Illya's way once she composes herself. ]

Sorry, sorry! Just a figure of speech. [ There's still a giggle underlying her words. ] Even if it wasn't, they'd never take a bite out of a newbie doing her best.

[ Not... helping...

Neither is the way that sunshine smile seems to intensify in brightness. ]

You are newbie, am I right?

[reluctants]

[ Definitely not helping.

Sure, the person standing in front of her right now looks amazing to Illya. Ai is pretty, and she does seem like she's being sweet, even if some of the things she's saying are a little scary. She's got to be a Dreamer if she's saying all of this, right? Those always seem amazing. No wonder this girl might be one of them.

Illya starts looking more shy with the moment, like the surprise that slowly seeps out of her only leaves that shyness in its wake as she nods just a little bit. ]

I, um..

[ .. it feels weird. She hasn't really admitted this yet to many people. Almost no one.

Can she say it out loud now? It almost seems wrong. ]

I had my awakening.. just a little while ago.

1

[yourattention]

[He has a list of things he's meant to get to do some sort of special video for his channel, which is... Tanabata wishes for various book characters? Sometimes he gets to do whatever he wants and sometimes the sponsors ask for something specific. Regardless, he hardly notices when Illya bumps into him.]

I'm trying to decide colors. [He gestures at the paper.] Maybe I'll just get all of them.

[If he gets all of them, maybe he can do some sort of rainbow thing. That would be cute. Unfortunately, he has to buy this stuff today so he can film tomorrow and get the video sent out for editing so that it actually goes up on the right day. Sometimes he thinks he should have agreed to the Twitch channel.]

[reluctants]

[ ...

Wait.

Illya was so startled that she just spoke up without thinking. Or maybe even without really looking at the person she was talking to enough to see who it is.

But now she sure sees. Now she's done talking and she's instead listening to the answer, she realises she knows that voice. And she realises she knows that face.

O-Oh no. Illya can feel her face slowly growing more and more red. What was she thinking?! She just spoke without thinking, and in the process of doing that she was actually talking to someone famous? W-What if he thinks she's weird? Oh, sheesh, she has to stay cool, she has to say something really normal now-- ]

Oh, I-- I'm a huge fan..!!

[ ...

That was clearly very normal, yes.

Also really suited what he was saying there, Illya. Clearly. Obviously. ]

[yourattention]

[Connor pauses partway through picking up a package of paper strips and looks over at her. It's been funny, since there's a huge population of non-Japanese people in Yumemigaoka so he gets recognized often but it often takes people a second. He shifts into his more public facing persona and smiles.]

Yeah? Tell you what: help me pick and I'll sign one.

[As far as he knows, the strips of paper themselves aren't anything special. It's only when the wishes are written on them that they become important.]

[reluctants]

.. S.. S-S...

[ Hang on for a second, Connor. Illya's brain is still trying to figure out how to deal with the present situation. Realising that someone she only knows as a celebrity is actually standing right here next to her is one thing, but then having to jump over to the fact that he actually wants to sign something.. and for her..

That's yet another thing. Hence the staring at him with wide eyes, followed by the stammering, like she can't even fully get the words out. ]

Si-Sign..? [ There we go. ] Y-You'd do that? For me? J-Just like that?!

[ She doesn't even have to pay or anything? This is baffling. Overwhelming!! ]

2

[darknesshotpot]

[Illya isn't the only suspicious person lurking outside Dreamer Union headquarters - Ango has been on a "10 minute smoke break" for the past hour and a half, but he's such a low-level employee that no one seems likely to notice his absence. His job is to collect observational data on the Dream Sphere, come in to the office twice a week to enter it into a spreadsheet, and try to look busy for the next couple of hours. With all the Dreamer Crimson crap going on, they even have people working on Saturdays. At least the office dress code is casual by Japanese standards, so no one's confronted him about his leather jacket and sunglasses. Or, more likely, no one has yet worked up the courage to confront the guy who looks like an overgrown juvenile delinquent.

He watches the kid cautiously approach the main entrance, then run off and hide, then tiptoe closer again... it's kinda cute. She's probably a new Dreamer, or one of the thousands of children in Yumemigaoka who aspire to be Dreamers. Most adults forget how tough it is to be a kid, but Ango's got a soft spot for them.]

Heh, newbies. Gotta love'em.

[He says it like he hasn't only been a Dreamer himself for a little over two months.]

Oi, kiddo! Come on in, they've got free stuff for kids at the infomation desk. If you're real lucky, you might be able to get Ai-Doll's autograph.

[reluctants]

.. h-huh?

[ There's something a little suspicious about this situation, isn't there. Usually when a man dressed like that calls out to you in movies, then there's some incredibly important situation going on.. or an incredibly dangerous one. D-Doesn't he kind of look like a gang member.. Or is this a scam, maybe?

Of course Illya's already nervous brain is going to wrap itself into noodles trying to imagine the most terrible outcomes of all of this. It's why the girl doesn't look very eager when he calls out. If anything, she starts looking visibly more nervous. ]

O-- Oh, no, that's okay! I-- I wasn't thinking about going in at all..!

[ The more transparent lie that has ever been told. ]

[darknesshotpot]

It's cool, it's all cool! You're a newbie Dreamer, right? Me too!

[He grins and pushes his sunglasses up onto his head in an attempt to look less threatening, then quickly tosses his cigarette on the ground and stubs it out with his boot. No smoking until, uh, at least age 14, right? Gotta set a good example for The Youth.]

Don't worry, the Union takes Dreamers even if they've got no skills. I should know, I've got like, zero useful skills, and they still pay me actual cash money to work here. Here, take one of these free promotional pens!

[From his jacket pocket, Ango produces a fistful of glitter-covered Dreamer Union branded pens. What's the point of a job if you aren't pilfering all the office supplies you can carry?]

They've got the DU's website and contact email printed on them, so if you change your mind about stopping by, you can set up a tour.

[reluctants]

[ Oh no. Not the pens. Not the sparkly, glittery pens! Illya actually stares at them the moment he pulls them out, almost as if mesmerized..

Apparently glitter just works that well on a 13 year old girl's brain who loves typically cute things, huh. She's still staring, even as she speaks up, a hint of concern in her voice.

(But hey, at least she's no longer trying to flee? That's something, right. Even if she's just being entinced by sparkly pens.) ]

What do you mean..? I mean, um.. Why would they take people without skills..?

[ She'd question his lack of skill, her view of other people usually a little too rose-coloured, but she also figures she shouldn't overload this guy with too many questions all at once. ]

Don't they need useful people?

1

[darcangel]

I did, but please, do not let me rush you. I have many other things I can shop for while you decide.

[ Wishes are a big deal, aren't they? Or...is something else going on? Jeannette hopes this young girl is all right. ]

[reluctants]

Ah..

[ Something about the answer seems to catch Illya off guard, leaving the girl to stare at the other with her mouth hanging open in surprise for a moment.

It takes a moment for her to realise that is happening, upon which she promptly shuts her mouth and then shakes her head. ]

D-Don't worry! You're not rushing me at all! [ It's the sort of thing that would probably be more convincing if Illya wasn't stammering and stuttering as she's saying it.. Alas. ] We can pick stuff at the same time, right?

[ She steps aside a little as she says it. ]

See, there's enough space for everyone! And there's so many colours of paper to pick from..

[darcangel]

There truly are. Which is your favorite?

[ Jeannette is looking over the pinks, herself....though she also keeps glancing at the silvers and blues. As opposed to Illya, she seems completely at ease. ]

[reluctants]

Um.. I like those too.

[ She points at the pinks that Jeannette is looking at right now. Of course Illya likes the cute and girly ones.

Though she doesn't stop there, since a moment later her finger moves towards a light purple - kind of a periwrinkle. ]

And this one? Though I was thinking that maybe I should get a brighter colour if it's for Tanabata..

wildcard!!

[hanamane]

[With the more senior members of the DU in a tizzy at the moment because of Dreamer Crimson's reappearance, there's been less people milling around the Slumbering City for Hanako to bother these days. Not that he wasn't interested in these turns of events either (and he wanted to go exploring more, anyway), but... after what happened last month, maybe it was better to hang tight and let the more seasoned folks take care of it for the time being.

So he's just been floating around aimlessly, trying to figure out something to do, when he spots a pink figure in the distance. She doesn't look familiar (but then, the DU was vast, and he certainly didn't know everyone there), but fresh meat is fresh meat, and it's been a while since he's gotten a good jumpscare in, so! Quietly, quieeeetly, he floats on over towards her, careful not to make a sound, until he finally peers over her shoulder, face cupped in his hands.]

Whatcha dooooing?

[Seriously, Hanako, stop sneaking up on the newbies, it's not cute!!!]

[reluctants]

AAAAAAAH!

[ Illya shrieks.

Of course she does. Honestly, Hanako could've been even less subtle than he was actually being, and he still most likely would have succeeded in startling the girl. But this approach is obviously even more effective, especially when the girl is already on edge enough in the present situation..

(You know, even when there's nothing particularly dangerous going on. I-It's called anxiety, alright!!)

She turns, her eyes so wide that they look like they're about to pop out of her head, her face a shade of pink that basically matches her outfit over here. ]

W-W-What are you doing?!

[ She'd say she could've hurt him, but..

.. you know, no.. no, she couldn't have, even if she would've wanted to, or had to in surprise. :(

There's also no recognition, because clearly her timid sickly classmate would never startle her like this, right. (Well, that, and the fact that Illya is way too startled to even pay attention to who she's looking at right now in the first place.) ]

1/2

[hanamane]

[... oh shit, she's one of his classmates.

Amane's first instinct is to turn tail and flee-- even if he and Illya hadn't interacted much in school, certainly she'd recognize his face from the get-go, right? Or... well, okay, she didn't know who he was after that incident at the bus station recently, but surely she'd be more aware of him after all of that, wouldn't she??? But... no, there doesn't seem to be any recognition on her face whatsoever as she shrieks and flusters at him, so-- maybe he was in the clear? Perhaps??]

2/2

[hanamane]

[... welp, he'll just need to play it by ear and see how this goes. He's fooled people who've interacted with him on a more consistent basis, so...

Thankfully for him, he knows how to act his ass off, and any trace of that internal conflict is unreadable on his face as he merely cackles at her response, kicking his feet in the air as he floats a little further into her view.]

Nope, asked you that first! ☆

[Yep, clearly that quiet boy in her class isn't this much of a pain in the ass. Definitely not!!]

[reluctants]

But you're the one who snuck up on me!

[ That.. clearly somehow reversed the rule of who asked something first, right. Apparently it seems to do in Illya's still-rattled mind, since the words slip out of her mouth so quickly after he's spoken up, sounding flustered and high-pitched the whole way through.

It really doesn't help that she's already on high alert in here, even without any dangers around.. And while Hanako sure isn't a danger - well, okay, not in that sense anyway - he still startled the girl enough to put her into flight or fight mode.

Or flight mode. Mostly flight mode, despite the way her hands are forming tiny fists.

And now she's staring at the other, actually looking at him, she finally seems to realise something..

.. though, in the other's advantage, it's-- ]

A-And why do you look like Amane-san?! Did you steal his face?!

[ N...

Nailed.. it..? ]

2;

[traceofeffort]

[Lisa visits the Union building... the opposite of often. Indeed, she's only going today - in as light a T-shirt and shorts as she can get away with because it's hot already, who allowed this - to take her looking-for-group flyer down from the notice board. After all, June's over, and with it the research request, so she'll just swing by for a minute, and then go do some shopping, her usual tote bag over her shoulder. Her steps get a little more tentative as she approaches the building, hesitation in her eyes. She doesn't strictly have to do it today, and she really doesn't want to be here, but it would be polite to take it down as soon as possible and......

...that's Illya, isn't it? Why is she hanging out here? And looking so tentative... hmm. Further investigation required.]

Hey, Illya-chan! Are you looking for someone? Or something, maybe? [She has an honest smile and a cheery wave, but there's something a little apprehensive about her posture, which will become less prominent the further they move from the door.]

[reluctants]

Wah..!

[ That's definitely a startled sound emerging from the girl - clearly scared, despite the way Lisa's own greeting was so casual and familiar. Granted, it's not like it's rare for Illya to startle, given how nervous and expressive the girl can be at times.. and how nervous she's been lately, really.

But that's still a very, very clearly guilty startle, mirrored in her eyes when she actually turns to look at Lisa. One could blame it on the embarrassment of having startled so plainly in public in the first place, but there's something a little more to it. Like there's something she's not sure she wants to talk about, especially with the way Illya awkwardly shifts her weight from foot to foot while standing there. ]

O-Oh, um.. No, I was just..

[ Her voice trails off.

That's a girl looking for an excuse, and who isn't sure what excuse to go for. ]

I just happened to be around here..

[ .. very convincing, right. ]

[traceofeffort]

[...oi, how did she spook Illya? That's supposed to be the thing people do to her when she's stuck in her head and- oh. Ohhhhhh. Well. That explains something. And being stuck in your head here, of all places.........]

Hey, you're going to have to try a little harder than that. [Said gently, but seriously.] If you really don't want me to know what's going on, you don't have to tell me, but... [Her cheer dims a bit.] Keeping it to yourself might make you feel worse in the long run, you know? As someone that's very, very good at bottling things up until she gets herself in trouble.

[She thinks for a second, before perking up.] Oh, hold on a second... [And she pulls one strap of the tote bag off her shoulder to dig through it briefly, coming back with...] Tell you what. I'm bribing you a little, but if you're willing to talk, I have cookies? [Lisa holds up a cutely-decorated bag of checkerboard cookies, shaking it slightly to draw the girl's eye.] If you don't want to talk, I'll share anyway, though. Promise. [She grins.] I'm not above being pushy if I have to, but I'm not going to be a jerk about it, you know?

[reluctants]

[ Talk about a total callout over there.

And it's probably not like Lisa needed any confirmation that she was right about this whole thing, given that Illya was being kind of obvious in the first place, but the girl's reaction makes it super obvious all the same. Her head lowers a little bit, her eyebrow knitting together into a worried frown - making her kind of look like a guilty dog. Indeed, guilty as charged about keeping something to herself here.

And while it's hard to resist the cookies, the thing that's more convincing to her is the idea that she might disappoint Lisa if she doesn't talk. Lisa, who has been so nice to her the entire time. Who has helped her before.

Wouldn't she feel bad if she knew there was stuff Illya didn't want to say..?

.. but just saying it isn't all that easy either. It might be why the young girl's gaze now drops fully, staring at her shoes like they're the most fascinting thing in the world as she kicks a little at some dust on the pavement. ]

I..

[ She's starting to speak. Slowly.

Even if she sounds very reluctant and shy about it. ]

I actually.. um.. I had my Awakening the other day. [ Only a little bit ago, really, which is why she's out here hesitating right now, rather than having done so earlier. ] But I-- I don't know if I should really be a Dreamer..

[ It feels embarrassing to admit. Especially to someone as amazing as Lisa - no matter what Lisa might think or say about herself.

What Dreamer says this sort of stuff, after all? The fact she's hesitating at all feels like proof she isn't true Dreamer material. ]